TRAINING AND FITNESS

Carving an impressive, thick, wide back should be a priority of yours, especially if you want your physique to mimic the elusive V taper. (If it isn’t, make it one). I’m going to share 3 of my favorite back building exercises with you.

• Chin-ups
• T-bar rows
• Cable rows

Chin-ups 

The good old chin-up. What’s there to say? It’s a great exercise. I personally prefer chins to pull-ups for a few reasons. The main ones are; stricter form, forcing you to work harder and a longer range of motion allowing you to get a better stretch in the lats.

With chins you’re simply hanging from a bar, pulling yourself up to the point your chin crosses the bar, then lowering yourself back down.

If you’re not strong enough to do them, stand on a chair/stool under the bar, get your chin over the bar from that position and slowly lower yourself back to the ground. (This works the negative phase of the exercise). Eventually you’ll get stronger and be able to do full chins.

If regular chins are too easy, up the ante and slap some weight around that pretty waist of yours and get chinning.

T-bar Rows

I’m not going to go into detail with this one simply because I explained it previously in the article “THE FORGOTTEN FOUR.” All I’m going to say is it’s fantastic for outer back development and thickening your back.

Seated Cable Rows

This is another great exercise for building back thickness. (Yeah it’s a machine, for all those anti-machine individuals).

I like this move, particularly due to the way I can really squeeze my back during the motion.

Just sit your butt down on the seat, keeping your feet stationary either on the ground or against the foot platform if it’s available. Grab the handles. Extend your arms forward and pull the handle toward your abs, focusing on the stretch and really squeezing your back together. Pause for a brief second, before returning to the start.

As of late I’ve been experimenting with a lower volume back routine and a system that I call “AXIS TRAINING.” (In fact the majority of my training nowadays is lower volume).

Coming BACK to the routine, all it simply involves is picking an exercise to hit your back from a vertical and another from a horizontal angle. Pretty damn basic, but effective and brutal. A real back blaster.

You’re probably expecting an example. Well I’m not the type to disappoint.

EX: Vertical Axis (Y)

Weighted chin-ups- 5 sets of 4-8 reps

EX: Horizontal Axis (X)

Cable rows 3 sets of 8-12

(The above is from my own personal routine).

That’s it. That simple. No messing with 4-5 exercises, blitzing the living hell out of one muscle. When it comes to effective training, simplicity is key. Better to pick 2 exercises for one muscle and give them your 100%, than pick 4 and half-ass it at 25%.

It all comes down to not spreading yourself too damn thinly, a mistake that many make when it comes to training. Use that saying, “More isn’t better, better is better” when choosing the number of exercises you’re going to do on a given day.

Anyways, the reason I developed axis training is so that I could hit a muscle group from two very distinct plains. The X or horizontal axis and the Y or vertical axis.

I see people working out all the time, and one thing that just beats me, is how they can keep blasting a given muscle from the same angle with a similar movement. e.g. barbell rows followed by dumbbell rows and one-arm rows.

There’s only a slight variation in the movement, sure it’s targeting a slightly different part of the muscle, but it’s in the exact same plain. All those moves are rows, which work along the horizontal axis, the vertical axis is getting no attention. Same thing, doing pull-ups and moving onto pull-downs, they’re working the same vertical region.

That’s not to say the exercises aren’t good, but you should have a balanced exercise selection, in order to create balanced musculature. If you want to do all those moves that’s fine. Just rotate them around, don’t do them all in one workout.

That’s why I began training according to my own style. This is the way I like to train and how my body responds best. I can hit the muscle from all the angles I want, without going through vast exercise selections. Why run when you can walk, right?

Don’t get the wrong idea and think it’s easy, because it isn’t I put a lot of effort and intensity into it. It’s all business when I’m training.

If your training’s too easy, you’re either doing it wrong or need to adjust your routine. In many cases it’s usually the former.

Your muscles should be on fire, but you shouldn’t feel depleted or exhausted. Your training should amp you up, make you feel like you’re ready to take on the world. You should leave the gym feeling satisfied with your achievement.

Sure, you’ll have bad training days and good ones, just like life is filled with ups and downs. But hey, give it your all every time and in the long run you won’t be disappointed.

REMEMBER, PUT YOUR BACK INTO IT.

EFFORT AND INTENSITY

As always consult a medical pro before undertaking any exercise regime. 

Your comments are valued. Feel free to drop them below in the comments section.

 

In my opinion, training is an education in itself. It teaches you great things about yourself and even reveals your flaws, so you can work on and improve them. Many lessons can be learnt in the gym.

Hey life’s about learning. With that said lets get to the good stuff.

Time for an education in iron.

Lesson 1: Discipline

There are few better ways that I know of to develop discipline than heaving and hoisting heavy iron. Now discipline isn’t a word people like to hear or use because it sounds hard. Well if you want to get better at something you’ve got to be disciplined. When you train with the iron consistently over the days, weeks and months you begin to instil discipline into your DNA. You begin to enjoy the feeling of clanging and banging iron, that feeling keeps you disciplined. Hence the reason I view the gym as a damn discipline powerhouse.

It’s worth noting that strict discipline is required for you to stick with your routine and actually take the effort and time to train.

Lesson 2: Persistence

My definition of persistence is the ability to never quit until you’re satisfied and then go above and beyond that. You’ll no doubt develop persistence in the gym. Think about it. Every time you lift, week-by-week, month-by-month, you’re building something.

Constantly striving to create and realise a goal. Continually reaching and improving. Not giving in and wallowing in defeat. Instead coming back again and again, hungry for more. That’s persistence.

Lesson 3: Courage

Whether you’re about to complete a set of heavy-ass squats or deadlifts it takes courage to make the decision to go balls to the wall, up the intensity and lift heavy. Some people lack the courage to truly challenge themselves, test their metal and see what they’re really made of. When you first start lifting you might be scared to go hard and heavy, maybe the fear of passing out on a bench or losing your lunch doesn’t appeal to you. (It happens).

Ultimately there’ll come a point when you’ll have the urge to train intensely. you’ll grow stronger and your courage will develop. As it does you’ll find yourself lifting poundage you thought you couldn’t.

Lesson 4: Hard work

If you’ve been lifting for sometime you’ll know this one well. Training develops your appreciation for hard work. Lifting intensely builds up your tolerance for hard work. It conditions you for it. Your training should be far from easy. (If you’re doing it right). It shouldn’t feel like a breeze. If it’s too easy you need to up the ante. If you go to the gym to screw around, you’re just wasting your time and robbing yourself of potential merits.

Lesson 5: Concentration

When you’re in the gym visualise what you’re trying to accomplish. As you begin to visualise your goal you’re developing your concentration. Overtime your concentration and focus will continually develop and you’ll be able to shut everything else around you out and just be in the moment. When you see nothing else but your goal, your chances of achieving it goes up dramatically. That’s the power of concentration and having pinpoint focus.

Lesson 6: Understanding

I think this is probably the most important thing you can learn in the gym. The ability to understand yourself. Training is a form of meditation. It’s your time away from work commitments and other social activities. Through training you’ll learn and begin to understand what your physical limitations are. As you begin to understand your weaknesses you can formulate strategies to improve on them. Turning former weaknesses into strengths.

You can take and apply each of these incredible characteristics to any aspect of your life that you want to achieve success in.

Class is over.

All that’s left to do is to get your butt down to the gym and start hitting that iron. 

FOCUS AND DEDICATION 

 

FOUR UNDERUSED EXERCISES FOR AN INCREDIBLE PHYSIQUE

Hundreds of exercises and routines are on the market nowadays. Over time some fade out, which is understandable as the world constantly evolves and changes. However, it’s a real kick in the nuts when genuinely good exercises are discarded with no real rhyme or reason.

So, without further ado I present to you the “Forgotten Four”. Four underused/forgotten exercises that will get you on the way to looking like you’re carved from granite.

SCULPTING TIME

T-bar Rows

http://youtu.be/C4QNkaF1pco

An “old school” move for the outer back. Made popular by Arnold Schwarzenegger. This exercise has been dying out over time and it’s a damn shame. It’s got a lot to offer, problem is it’s hardly used.

Everyone concentrates on regular barbell rows or one arm rows which are fine, but this move really targets, thickens and hammers away at that outer back with pinpoint focus.

To perform,  pickup a T-bar and start rowing as you would when executing any other rowing movement. Raise the bar to your ab region and slowly lower it back down. I like to use a rep tempo of about 1 second up and 2 seconds down. (Play around and see what works for you).

Tip: This is a heavy movement. So go heavy. Hit it hard. Don’t be afraid to add weight. Don’t wimp out or you’ll skimp out on the benefits of this exercise. If you don’t have access to a T-bar you can use a barbell. Just load one end of the bar and place the other side in a corner. (You’ve got no excuse not to perform it now).

Pullovers

http://youtu.be/IiHy6kjz3Yc

This move, I personally think is a real beauty. No other exercise targets, expands and stretches the chest, ribcage and serratus muscles like this one does. Another exercise popularised by Arnold.

To perform,  lie across a bench and keep your feet flat on the ground. Only your upper back and shoulders should rest on the bench. Grab a dumbbell, hold it above your chest, keeping your arms straight, lower it towards the ground behind you.

Tip: Unlike the T-bar row this isn’t a heavy move. Don’t under any circumstance use too much weight. (Before you ask, you don’t want to know). This move is all about the stretch. So lower the dumbbell as low as you’re comfortable and until you feel the stretch before raising it back up. You can execute this move with either a barbell or dumbbell. Personally I prefer dumbbells due to convenience and range of motion.

Farmers Walk

There’s nothing more fulfilling and basic than picking up the  heaviest pair of things you can find and then walking with them. This is a power move. Plain and simple.

Although it’s becoming more popular, it’s still not quite fully there yet. Pretty much all the commercial fitness chains don’t have the space for this move to be performed. This move is great for your traps, upper back, legs and forearms etc. It’s pretty solid for your body on the whole.

Tip: Not a lot to say about this one other than go hard and heavy. Give it all you’ve got. If your muscles aren’t on fire you’re not doing it right. You can use either dumbbells, barbells or farmers walk handles. Whatever, just pick up something heavy and get walking.

Lumberjack Press

This one’s a pretty unconventional move.  Fairly unknown and therefore, underused. A damn butt kicker nonetheless. Think back to that scene at the start of “Commando”, where Arnold’s resting a heavy-ass log on his thick shoulders as he makes his way through the forest. (If you don’t know what I’m talking about watch Commando). It’s a great way to hit your shoulders in a way they’re not used to.

To perform, simply grab a barbell, rest it on one shoulder, press it up and over your head and rest it on the opposite shoulder. Repeat as many times until you complete your set.

Tip: Don’t go overboard with the weight on this move. You will screw your shoulders if you do. Remember, you’ve really got to balance the weight as well as lift it.

There you have it. Add them to your routine. Try them out and see how you like them.

TRAIN INSANE!!!

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: I’m not a doctor. Seek medical advice before undertaking any fitness regime or exercise.

IRON AND WILL 

“Bole So Nihal“. (Shout of victory)

Are you ready? 

Ready for battle?

Yesteryear, the battle-ground was for the warriors. Today however, there’s one place that’s home to the modern warrior. The name echoes everywhere. Many know it and know it well.

THE GYM. (That’s what I’m talking about).

Warriors?… You say.

EXPLANATION TIME.

I’m not talking about your average gym rat. Hell no. I’m talking about a rare breed. A breed that doesn’t ass around. Doesn’t buckle under strain. Finds comfort in discomfort. A conviction, average gym rats just don’t have.

 Listen up gents, ladies too, and listen well…

Where warriors used to train for hours on end with brandished swords, stifling shields and sharpened spears, the warriors of today train with weights. The commonality is. “Passion for iron”.

Where previously, warriors faced hordes of attacking enemy, the modern warrior faces heavy-ass dumbbells and barbells. Gleaming with the sweat of those who came before, as if to send a message. A message, “We’re from hell, we’ll push you to your limit and leave you broken in half ”.

Approach every training session like a battle. Go in with a plan and relentless, unyielding dedication. Destroy those weights in those 45mins, 1hr, or however long you “workout”.

You’ve got to go in with the intent of completely annihilating the opposition. (In this case the weights).

Get Ready for battle

Here are the strategies I use my self to get battle ready. (Time to hit it).

TIP 1: HAVE A PLAN

Plan, plan, plan!! If you look back in history, you’d find that the successful warriors had a battle plan. They knew what they had to do and planned for it. Knowing alone isn’t good enough. You’ve got to implement it too. You can’t go in blind and expect a good result. Go in without a plan and be prepared to fail.

No good saying, “I know I have to train legs today, but don’t know how I’m going to go about it.” Have a plan. Period.

TIP 2: PRE-TRAINING MEDITATION

Get your head in gear. Get your butt ready. Envision what you’re about to do and achieve. Sit down before you even pick up a weight. Think and focus on the task at hand. Take 5 minutes and mentally tune and prepare yourself. (It’ll do you a world of good).

TIP 3: PUT ON SOME PUMPING TUNES

Whenever I train I want to avoid all distraction. Don’t like anyone bugging me. Half the time the music played at gyms is irritatating and doesn’t help in the concentration department. To avoid all of that, I simply pop on my headset and go to work. Don’t just listen to any old garbage. Put on something that’ll get you in the zone and ready to work.

TIP 4: SCREAM LIKE A DAMN ANGRY SILVERBACK (OPTIONAL)

This one’s a joke by the way. But seriously, every warrior has a battle cry. Discover yours and leverage it in a way that motivates you to throw those weights around like ragdolls. (I don’t actually recommend going around screaming in your gym at the top of your lungs. It’s your call though).

FINAL TIP: GIVE YOURSELF A PAT ON THE BACK

Above all, have a great workout. When you’re done, be proud of yourself. Don’t get comfortable though. You’re going to go through hell all over again the next time you face the enemy. (weights).

How about telling me about your strategies and plans. Drop a comment below. I don’t bite.

Happy training.

HEART AND SPIRIT 

Lets get down to it.

You want abs. Not just abs, but awesome abs. You don’t want to waste time, money and effort on useless gizmos and doohickeys that promise the world but deliver so little. Well gents, here it is plain and simple, the very same exercises I used (and continue to use) to sculpt, pummel and polish my abs into shape.

Time to get lean and mean!!

Note: Perform 3 sets of each exercise. Seek medical advice before performing any exercise!!!

EXERCISE 1: Weighted floor crunches

This exercise is so simple. It hardly needs an introduction. Everybody knows about crunches. Probably the most well known ab exercise around. Regular bodyweight crunches are fine, but if you really want those suckers to pop you need to add a little weight. No need to add tons of weight though. You’re just thickening them up a little. (Particularly if you have very flat abs and want the groves to be more defined and visible).

If you want chiseled and stronger abs add some weight. Period.

If you already have thick abs however,  you can do a few sets of weighted crunches, but I’d stick with regular crunches if I were you for the most part.

To perform, simply do as you would a regular crunch, whilst holding a weight plate, or dumbbell above your chest. You can also position it behind your neck.

Tip: I like using a rep range of around 12-15 reps. If you’re doing bodyweight crunches, go to failure. (The point at which you can’t keep pumping out reps).

EXERCISE 2: Hanging Leg raises

Good old hanging leg raises, another well-known move for the abs. This exercise is targeted towards the lower portion of the abs. Simply grab a chinning bar or anything you can hang from and lift your legs into the air. Make sure you feel it in your lower ab area otherwise you’re wasting your time.

Don’t under any circumstances throw your legs into the air (using momentum) otherwise you’re robbing yourself of any potential benefits. Keep it simple. If you’re not feeling it in your lower ab region then you’re doing it wrong. If you’re not strong enough to keep your legs straight while doing this move, you can keep your knees bent.

Tip: This move will really burn!!! Also your grip will get worked from holding onto the bar. I like to keep the rep ranges slightly higher with this move, given that you are using your bodyweight, 20-30 reps or going to failure should do it.

EXERCISE 3: Seated rope/cable crunches

This is a move I recently started using. In fact it’s currently the only move I do for abs. You can use it in place of the weighted crunch like I do. (If you have access to it). It’s a pretty basic and straightforward move. Perform the same way you would any crunch, only difference is you’re in a seated position instead of flat on your back.

Simply set your butt down on a flat bench, grab the rope from behind and get to work.

Tip: Really contract and squeeze the abs hard during this movement. Feel the burn. I like to keep the range between 12-15 reps.

BONUS EXERCISE : Lower back raises

This isn’t really an exercise for the abs as such. But if you’re working your front (abs) you need to work your back (lower back) to keep the balance. People that only focus on their abs and neglect their lower backs are foolish.

Only developing the abs without attention to the lower back is one of the biggest causes of injury. This exercise might not develop your abs like the others in this article, but it sure as hell will save you from avoidable lower back strains in the future. Think about it. You always hear about somebody tweaking their back. Heck, the doctors’ surgeries are full of people with lower back problems.

To perform, simply lie on your front, on the ground. Slowly lift both your upper torso and legs off the ground in conjunction with each other. Really feel the stretch in the lower back.

Tip: I like to keep the rep range around 10- 12 reps. Remember you don’t need to kill yourself on this move. It’s more of an injury prevention exercise than a strength / shaping one.

So there you have it. Moves for sculpting “Awesome Abs”.  Pretty simple and basic. No hitting abs from 50 different angles using 50 different exercises.

It’s up to you to try them out. You can either incorporate them into an awesome abs routine of their own to blast your abs, or use my preferred method of picking one move and adding it onto the end of your regular training sessions, rotating exercises when you feel like. Choice is yours.

Now we’ve covered myths in part 1 and exercises in part 2, but none of these exercises will make any difference, unless you shed the dough. (Not the bucks / dollars! hint, hint).

In part 3 we’ll cover simple diet strategies to set you straight.

Don’t forget to subscribe. You don’t want to miss Awesome Abs part 3.

 SWEAT AND GUTS 

Photo Credit: uncagetheanimal.com